Craft work

Craft work means fun and teaching a child through craft work is the best way to make a child concentrate on something.

Craft 1:

Draw a bold outline of a simple picture ( even a straight line would do ) and ask the child to stick bindis ( huge ones ) on top of the line . By doing this the child learns 1/standing line, the child learns to remove the bindi from the cover ,the child's concentration level increases , a pre requisite for tracing

kidney beans, chumkis ( colorful ones),buttons etc can be used to paste on the line . As the sessions progress reduce the size of the objects used for pasting and increase the complexity of the pattern given for pasting .

Beading

Beading is a great activity for developing eye hand coordination, visual attention,motor coordination,finger movements,pincer and tripod grasp and bilateral integration . But to be frank many kids detest doing this activity since it requires a lot of attention atleast during the learning phase . There are many forms ,shapes and sizes of beads available in the market.

Demonstrate the activity of beading to the child .

Choose the biggest bead of the lot and then ask the child to hold the bead in one hand( preferably left) and the string on the other hand( preferably right).This itself in some cases may take more than 5-6 sessions, since holding a bead depends on the sensory issues and the interest of the child.Use a stiff string initially so that the child first understands the concept of beading and the scope of success is higher .

Now physically prompt the child to insert the string through the hole of the bead.The size of the hole of the bead and the thickness of the string should be proportional , the string should not be too thin . Ask he child to hold string at a comfortable distance .Now prompt the child to string the bead. Initially let the length of the string be small .

If in case you feel that the child's level is lower than this , you hold the string and ask the child to just rop the bead in the string . Then slowly make him hold the string and bead.

Once the child is able to focus on the bead and is able to coordinate and string the bead, decrease the size of the bead and decrease the stiffness of the string.Make it more challenging .

Sometimes a child might take months to master this activity , but even if the child strings one bead appreciate he child's effort , for this is not an easy task for them . Both forward chaining and backward chaining techniques can be used depending on the level of the child and the comfort of the child .Though chaining techniques are mainly used in ADL's , they prove effective in teaching concepts like beading as well .

Initially just make the child string 2-3 beads and then slowly increase the number of beads.

Concepts like " following simple instruction ", colors, shapes,following a sequence can all be generalized using this beading activity .

piggy bank

dropping coins inside the piggy bank is a very good activity for developing visual attention ,improving the eye hand coordination, developing tripod and the pincer grasp, developing the nuance of adjusting hand movements according to the direction of the hole.

First demonstrate to the child how to hold a button or a coin ( should be big enough for the child to have enough space to hold using his fingers)

now help th child hold the button / coin .

give him a vessel which has a reasonably big mouth and ask him to drop the coin inside the vessel, once the child is able to drop inside the vessel, slowly reduce the size of the mouth .

now introduce a piggy bank ( can be made at home using cardboard with suitable size of mouth ) and ask the child to drop the coin. The child may take a lot of time to drop it inside the piggy , since the size of the hole is small and only when he look at it will the child be able to drop the coin inside it .

If the child has problem maneuvering, the palm according to the direction of the hole , prompt him , but gradually fad the prompt.

Once the child has mastered this , slowly start giving instructions like the color of button or the denomination of the coin , size of the coin etc that he has to put inside the piggy . This of course will be useful in generalization of certain learnt concepts .

on seat activities

A session should always be a mix of both physical and on seat activities . So here are some activities that help increase the attention span of a child .

Basic activities :

Simple matching activities :

increases attention span , the child gets to know the concept of matching , learns new objects , increases the visual attention

place real objects ( very basic level) in front o the child . Seat yourself in front of the child preferably or next to the child . For ex. place an apple in front of the child and place an apple and an orange . Now ask the child t match and apple with an apple . You might need to prompt the child completely for the first few sessions and whenever the child matches the object say "good matching " . Slowly fade your prompt and let the child begin to match ( use various objects but give only two options to match ) . Once the child has understood the concept of matching , increase the number of options for the child .

After the real objects level comes the photographs / colored pictures level where you use the pictures instead of real objects . after the child has mastered this level

move to picture outline / black and white pictures for matching .

As the sessions progress and once the child has attained mastery in these levels complicate the matching process further more by introducing a mix of all the types of cards , by asking the child to match the outline with the colored picture, the shadow with the line drawing , by asking him to match the different colored outline cards of a same object, matching the objects( example . match ball, the child should match all the balls irrespective of the colors) .

never force a child to do an activity and never overdo an activity . Reinforce the child whenever possible . it might take a long time for the child to master various levels but then keep trying and keep changing the objects , cards so that it doesn't become monotonous .

been a hectic day but an eventful one . just a thought occured to my mind, why not give placements to our kids with special needs in the toll gates with an elderly person to assist for ticketing or else in the post of reading out the registration number to the person issuing the ticket. Surely our kids if trained would be able to do this with ease . so many toll gates are there across the country, so much employment is possible. Would like to know what you people think about this......

Ball game 2:

Once the child has learnt to throw a ball to a particular person slowly shift your attention towards asking to throw the ball inside a particular object.

1. Use a ball of a comfortable size ( the child prefers) and keep a big basket or a tub in front of the child and ask him to aim and throw the ball inside the tub .

2. please make sure the distance is comfortable for the child . Make the session exciting by allowing the child to win

3. Using a big basket will increase the chance of the child throwing inside the basket

4. Please try to avoid placing any environmental distractors in between child and the object

5. Complete physical prompt may be required initially , but then sowly fade the prompt as the week progresses.

6. time duration should not excede 5-6 mins for this activity.

7. Other than bucket even a basket ball stand can be used , if you feel the child would enjoy that better

8. Adaptations like keeping squeezees inside the bucket so that when the ball falls inside the bucket it squeezes, decorating the bucket ( not too much ), or modifying the bucket like an open mouth etc can be done to draw the attention of the child towards the bucket

9. But then these adaptations could also prove to be distractors, so do it according to the sensory needs of your child .

10. Balls can be made out of different textures so that the child gets to feel different textures and learning of this concept can also take place simultaneously

11. vocabulary like throw, inside can be mastered through this activity

12. keep reinforcing the child for he efforts.

Activities : ( physical)

Ball Games ( one on one level )

1. Throwing ball :

Each child is different , so your child might love to play with the ball, or might show complete lack of interest . Either ways start off by just asking the child to hold the ball ( preferably a very colorful one , made out of texture that the child likes and a size that the child feels comfortable ). The child might just drop the ball holding it just for a few seconds and walk away in a completely different direction , but then the good thing is the child atleast held it :)

This Simple task of holding the ball and increasing the duration of the ball being held by the child might itself take ( in some cases) a few weeks to get mastered . Now slowly make the child throw the ball. This might require a complete assistance ( prompt ) from the teacher's side . Best position would be standing behind the child and make him throw. If you have someone to catch the ball on the other side well and good or else do it in front of a mirror . Now whenever the child cooperates with you for throwing the ball, praise him and reinforce him . Never overdo an activity . During the learning phase it is always better to limit the duration of a specific activity to not more than 5-10 mins ( max). Now as the weeks progress , slowly fade your prompt .At one point the child will start to apply some force and try to throw the ball . Encourage this . Though the child might not aim at anything specific while throwing , praise the effort put in by the child to throw the ball.

Now Keep using the word " throw "whenever the action is being performed .

Now slowly ask him to throw the ball at you . Don't stand too far away from the child . Its better that you stand at a distance say 2-3 feet away from the child ( it may look like the child is just giving the ball to you , but then for an initial start this would be fine ) . Keep drawing his attention and see to it that that you catch the ball and praise him for the good throw. Some children just throw the ball behind them in their attempt to throw it to you , just keep giving them chances and they will get it straight).

Again please do not force a child too much and keep the activity duration limited and also be judicial while reinforcing the child.

Slowly increase the distance between you and the child and make him throw the ball at you .

You can also use other things to teach throw other than ball, but be careful of what you make them throw , so that they dont take it for granted that anything can be thrown .

Slowly you can ask one more friend of the child or of your's to join the game so that the concept of group play is also being introduced . The child might not want to play but then over a period of time the child will get used to people joining into the small world of you and your child .

In case of children with physical limitations we need to adapt the environment and the materials used accordingly.